Massive Dinosaur Thigh Bone Discovered in France

In 2019, paleontologists working in Charente, France, uncovered an exceptionally large dinosaur thigh bone (femur) measuring nearly 6.5 feet (2 meters) long and weighing over 1,100 pounds (500 kg).

The fossil dates back approximately 140 million years to the Early Cretaceous period and is believed to belong to a giant sauropod — a group of long-necked, plant-eating dinosaurs that includes species like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus.

The bone was found by volunteers from France’s National Museum of Natural History, buried in clay deposits alongside a large pelvis bone. Researchers noted the remarkable preservation of the femur, with clear muscle and tendon attachment marks still visible on its surface.

Since excavations began in the area in 2010, the site has yielded more than 7,500 dinosaur bones from up to 45 different species. This femur is the largest bone recovered from the location so far.

The discovery provides valuable insight into some of the largest land animals that ever lived on Earth